80 NATURAL HISTORY OF BRITISH FRESH-WATER LEECHES.
ditches and sluggish streams, chiefly among aquatic plants.
Its favourite food is the larva of Chironomus ("Bloodworm").
The whole contents of the body are sucked out and the empty
skin left. It is said to attack small worms, injured fish, frogs
and newts. It is able to creep along by the aid of the surface
film. The eggs are laid in May and June and are attached to
the body of the parent.
Distribution.—Britain:—Walthamstow Reservoirs ; Higham's
Park ; R. Stort ; R. Roding, near Abridge ; Chigwell Row ;
Botanic Gardens, Regent's Park ; Totteridge ; R. Chess ;
Seven Arches, Leeds ; R. Wharfe, near Grassington (H. W.) ;
R. Porter, Yorks (Evans, 15) ; near Carlisle (Friend, 17) ; Holy
Island Lough (Johnston, 32); Bavelaw, near Edinburgh (H.
W.) ; Scilly Isles (W. Blair).
Ireland:—Lough Neagh (Thompson, 42) ; Co. Antrim ; Co.
Fermanagh ; Co. Dublin (Scharff, 39).
Foreign:—Germany (Johannson, 30) ; S. Norway (Jensen,
29) ; Italy, Spain, North and Central Europe (Blanchard, 7) ;
Western Asia ; United States from Atlantic to Pacific coasts
and S. America (for references see Harding, loc. cit., p. 164).
Haemopis sanguisuga L. (=Aulastomum gulo). The Horse
Leech. Plate VII., Fig. 10.
Description.—Body elongate, slightly flattened. Dorsal surface gener-
ally of uniform tint, brownish or greenish. There is often a lateral yellow-
ish band and the ventral surface is of a yellowish grey colour, spotted with
irregular black, patches. Young individuals are of a grayish tint, finely
speckled with black, and have a faint geometrical pattern on the dorsal
surface. Length from 100-150 mm., and breadth from 8-12 mm.
Five pairs of eyes are present. The anus pierces the last ring (cf. Hirudo
medicinalis and Trocheta subviridis).
Habits.—This species is to be found in the mud of ponds and
slow streams. It frequently leaves the water for the purpose
of depositing its cocoons, or for obtaining food. It is unable
to draw blood from a mammal and lives chiefly upon earth-
worms, aquatic larvae and any other small creatures that it
can capture and swallow. It will also suck weak frogs and
newts. This species has been confused by earlier writers with
Hirudo medicinalis and Limnatis nilotica, both of which are
able to pierce the skin of horses, cattle and human beings. The
cocoons are about 15 mm. long and 12 mm. broad and are sur-
rounded by spongy tissue.